Amnesia
by newvian-whovian
Summary: Barbara gets amnesia and forgets everything about Ian.


Scenario: Barbara gets amnesia and forgets everything about Ian.

Timeline: unspecified

* * *

"We've landed!" Susan said to Ian and Barbara as the column in the center stopped moving. The pair came out of the room to see what was going on.

"So, where have we landed this time, Doctor?" Ian asked the white-haired man working the console.

"Susan, tell him."

"We're on the planet G5256, atmosphere is Earth-like, radiation normal, and the indigenous species are far more advanced than yours," Susan said.

"How far advanced?" Barbara asked.

"About 1000 years," Susan said.

"A thousand years? What, will there be flying cars and food in tablet form?" Ian asked.

"Flying cars, yes. Food in tablet form, no."

Susan opened the doors and the four humanoids walked out of the box.

The city was a magnificent metropolis in bright whites and blues, flying cars buzzing around it like electrons around a nucleus. But it was a long walk away with a few steep hills between them and the city.

"Are we walking the whole way?" Ian asked.

"Yes, we are, Chesterfield," the Doctor said.

"Chester_ton,_" Ian corrected.

"Yes, yes, quite right," the Doctor said, and the four started off walking. They were climbing a particularly steep hill when Barbara had gotten a bad foothold halfway up that broke under her foot, causing her to fall a few feet. Ian went back for her. Barbara was unconscious. Ian was joined by the Doctor and Susan a minute later, and Susan went wide-eyed at the sight. Barbara wasn't injured badly, but she had hit her head on something, judging by the lump on the back of her head. Ian tried to rouse her.

"Barbara, wake up. Come on, Barbara!" he said, shaking her shoulder in an attempt to wake her. She did not stir.

"Grandfather, do you think the people in the city could help Barbara?" Susan asked.

"Perhaps, child, perhaps. But we'll have to get her there first," the Doctor said.

"I've got her," Ian said. He picked her up with mild difficulty and they headed towards the city.

"Are you doing alright there, Chesterton?" the Doctor asked as the group reached the city.

"I'm doing fine," Ian said as they walked up to the wall surrounding the city.

"State your name and business," said the guard at the gate. He looked much like a human, save for the green tinge in his skin and blue hair.

"Ian Chesterton, with the Doctor, Susan Foreman, and this is Barbara Wright. We've come to seek medical attention for Barbara. She hit her head and won't stir."

"Very well. You may enter," said the guard and the gate was opened. The group entered and found an ambulance waiting for them. It looked almost like an ambulance on Earth, save for the shape, which was much more rounded.

"We received word there were some travelers looking for medical attention?" the driver said. "Get her in the back, and we'll drive you all to the hospital," he added, and a medic pulled the gurney out of the ambulance. Ian laid Barbara on it and the medic pushed her into the back.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get in!" the medic said, and the Doctor, Susan, and Ian all climbed into the back with the medic and Barbara.

The drive to the hospital wasn't long. The medic was trying several ways to attempt to rouse Barbara, none of which actually worked. The ambulance pulled up to the hospital and Barbara was taken inside, the three other travelers following suit. The hospital looked almost exactly like an Earth hospital.

"Human female, middle-age, head trauma," said the medic into his little radio as he wheeled Barbara down the hall to the emergency room.

"Bring her to the E.R.," said a voice from the radio.

"They share a term with the Americans on Earth," Ian said.

The Doctor, Susan, and Ian were not allowed in with Barbara, so they were shown to a waiting room, where Ian paced the floor and the Doctor and Susan sat down.

"Oh, Ian, would you please sit down? You're making me nervous!" Susan said.

"Oh, sorry, Susan," Ian said, finally sitting down.

It was about an hour before a medic visited the three.

"I'm not happy to inform you we could not wake her. She seems to have a concussion, and will likely not wake for a few days. We have moved her to a room and you are allowed to visit her-"

"Which room?" Ian asked.

"Second floor, room 217," said the medic, "but I would think it pointless, she is still unconscious."

"Come, Chesterton, Susan, we must visit Barbara," the Doctor said, heading towards the elevator. Susan and Ian followed suit, and the three went to Barbara's room.

Barbara was connected to a heart monitor and an IV, with clear medicine dripping inside. She had a bandage wrapped around her head, and she was very clearly unconscious. Ian seemed to suppress the urge to run over to her, as he clenched his hands as he walked over to her bedside.

* * *

Four days passed, and the Doctor and Susan had gone to bring the TARDIS inside the city so it would be easier to leave later. Ian hardly ever left her side, leaving only to go to the bathroom and to take a shower when Susan forced him into the TARDIS to do so. Ian was returning from a bathroom break when Barbara began to stir. He noticed and ran to her side, hopeful. Ian called for the Doctor and Susan, and both walked into the room as Barbara opened her eyes.

"What happened?" Barbara asked the Doctor and Susan, and she looked at Ian with an unrecognizing stare. "And who are you?" she asked.

Ian's face fell.

"You don't recognize me?" he asked.

"Sorry, am I supposed to?" Barbara asked with a quizzical look on her face. Ian turned away, and Susan came to talk to him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"She doesn't remember me," Ian said. "She can't have forgotten, not after everything. She recognizes you and the Doctor," Ian said.

"Alright, I want to test your memory. What is your name?" the Doctor asked.

"Barbara Wright."

"What is your occupation?"

"I am a history teacher at Coal Hill School."

"Who am I?"

"You're the Doctor."

The Doctor motioned to Susan and Ian, and they walked over.

"Who is she?" the Doctor asked, placing a hand on Susan's shoulder.

"Susan Foreman."

"And who is he?" he said, placing a hand on Ian's shoulder.

"I don't know. I don't think we've met," Barbara said.

"It seems she has selective amnesia. She remembers everything except for Mr. Chesterton over here."

"So what do we do?" Ian asked.

"Try to jog her memory. But be gentle. How would you like to be screamed at by someone you don't know?" the Doctor said.

"Barbara, my name is Ian Chesterton. We work at Coal Hill School together," Ian said. Barbara looked at him as though searching his face for a feature she recognized.

"Sorry, doesn't ring a bell," she said.

The doctor (the medical doctor) walked into the room.

"Well, she seems okay. Mild concussion, but nothing that can't be taken care of at home. I think she's okay to go home," he said. "I'll get her release papers."

"Thank you," Susan said. He left and returned a few minutes later with Barbara's release papers.

"She's good to go," said the medical doctor.

"Come along, Barbara," Susan said, and Barbara, who had dressed in the few minutes, followed her to the TARDIS. The Doctor took off in the TARDIS, and Susan led Barbara to bed. Ian made himself sit down and eat something, as he had not bothered to eat for four days, stating he wasn't hungry.

"Ian you're going to starve yourself sick if you keep this up," Susan had said.

"I'm just not hungry," Ian had replied.

But he didn't eat much, still sick with worry. Why didn't Barbara recognize him?

"Ian, I don't like to do this, but it seems I have to. Eat," Susan said, placing a plate of food in front of him.

"I'm not hungry," Ian said.

"Stop acting like a child and eat," Susan commanded.

"Fine," Ian said.

After a few minutes, Susan went back to check that Ian had actually ate, and was satisfied that he had. He was back with Barbara, trying to get her to recognize him. Susan walked into the room and found Barbara threatening Ian with a pair of scissors.

"Who are you and what are you trying to do? Are you trying to get me killed?!" Barbara shouted hysterically.

"No, I promise I'm not! I'm just-"

"SAVE IT! I know you're trying to hurt me! GET OUT!" Barbara shouted, throwing the scissors at Ian, who dodged them and ran from the room.

"What happened?" Susan asked.

"Well, I was talking to her, and somehow she got it in her head that I was trying to hurt her. She pulled out the scissors and threatened me with them," Ian said.

"Let me try," Susan said. "I think it'd be best if you stayed away from Barbara for a while," Susan said. Ian nodded.

"I suppose you're right."

Susan nodded and went into the room. She saw the scissors sticking out of the wall and pulled them out, placing them in a drawer. She looked around the room and found Barbara curled up in a corner.

"Barbara, are you okay?" Susan asked.

"I'm okay; just keep that lunatic away from me!" Barbara said, her voice wavering.

"You mean Ian? He's not trying to hurt you; he's genuinely concerned for your well-being. He wants you to remember him for who he actually is. Your mind is blocking out any memory of Ian, and making you believe he's trying to hurt you. He'd never hurt you. I suggest you let him try to jog your memory," Susan said.

"Okay, I suppose," Barbara said, standing up.

"Ian, you can come in now," Susan said. Ian walked into the room a minute later. Susan left.

"Barbara, how are you?" Ian asked.

"I'm doing fine, thanks," Barbara replied, a little bit of salt in her words.

"Remember that one time we went to that party last July and Harold Jones knocked over the house plant?" Ian asked.

"Yeah, I remember that."

"Remember how I helped put it back together?" Ian asked.

"I remember."

"Remember when Susan was in both of our classes and she seemed so peculiar so we went to see what was going on?"

"I think I remember. We found a police box in a junkyard," Barbara said.

"And that's how we're here in the first place," Ian said.

"Yeah, it is…"

"Barbara, what's my name?"

"Ian Chesterton."

"What do I do for a living?"

"You're a science teacher at Coal Hill School."

"Do you believe I'm trying to harm you?"

"No."

"Barbara, your memory's back!" Ian said, smiling from ear to ear.

"Ian, I'm sorry I threw a pair of scissors at you," Barbara said.

"It's okay," Ian said. Barbara walked up to him and pulled him into an embrace.

"I can't believe I forgot who you were!"

"It scared me, too."

They pulled apart from the hug.

"Well, I guess it's back to our adventures?"

"Actually, I'm feeling pretty tired. The last four days have been exhausting," Ian said.

"Four days? I was out for four days?" Barbara said, alarmed.

"Yes, four days. But you're okay now, right?"

"Yeah, I'm alright. But you really need a shower!"

"So do you," Ian said.


End file.
